Universal articulation device for railway and/or tramway carriages mounted on trucks



Dec. 30, 1941. M. URBINATI 2,268,318

UNIVERSAL ARTICULATION DEVICE FOR RAILWAY AND/OR TRAMWAY CARRIAGES MOUNTED ON TRUCKS y Filed Aug. 29, 1959 "4 Sheets-Sheet 1 gygy-2# MARIO URB/NAT:

Dec. 30, 1941. M BINATI 2,268,318

FOR RAILWAY ND/OR TRAMWAY- UNIVERSAL ARTIGULATION Dv CARR ES MOUNTED ON TRUCK ed Aug. 29, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 rjzvewtaf; 'MARIO URBINATI Dec. 30, 1941. M. URBINA-rl 2,268,318

UNIVERSAL AHTIGULATION DEVICE FOR RAILWAY AND/on TRAMwAY- CARRIAGES MOUNTED oN TRUCKS Y Filed Aug. 29, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 16 la J6 MARIO URBINATI Dec. 30, 1941. M. URBINATI 2,268,318

UNIVERSAL ARTICULATION DEVICE FOR RAILWAY AND/0R T RAMwAY GARRIAGES MOUNTED oN TRUCKS- Filed Aug. 29, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 MARIO URBINATI Patented Dec. 30, 1941 UNIVERSAL ARTICULATION DEVICE FOR RAILWAY AND/ OR TRAMWAY CARRIAGES MOUNTED ON TRUCKS Mario Urbinat, Rome, Italy, assigner to the firm: Officina Meccanica Della Stanga S. A., Padua,

Italy Application August 29, 1939, Serial No. 292,472.

In Italy September '7, 1938' 1 Claims.

The present invention relates to railway and/ or tramway carriages composed oi articulated elements, and an object of the invention is to ccnnect the various articulated elements to each other so as to enable passengers to freely pass from any element to the adjacent element.

According to the present invention, relative angular displacements in the horizontal plane of two adjacent elements is obtained by means of an articulation cylinder, while an elastic connection (such as, for instance, a rubber connection or small bellows) is provided merely to absorb angular movements due to rolling, rocking, uneven load, rupture of suspension springs, changes in grade, raised rails and imperforations of the track. The characteristics of the present invention will clearly appear from the following description, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an articulation according to one embodiment of the invention, when the train elements are in alignment.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section thereof on line X-X of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 4 are cross-sectional and plan views of a swing bolster of a truck provided with the articulation.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section similar to that of Fig 2, when the vehicle is on a curve.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic vertical section on the line Y-Y of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section on the line Z-Z of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal section of a modification.

tion.

In the embodiment represented in Figs. land 2y two adjacent elements A and B of the carriage are supported by the arms I and 2 respectively, on a spherical socket 3, whereby said elements are free to rotate in any plane around the socket centre C, independently from each other. Between said elements is inserted a cylindrical member L, consisting of two parts L1 and L2, hereinafter called semicylinders, which lie in seats I'I formed in the arms I and 2, respectively, and are supported by means of pivots 4 and 5. The geometric axes of the pivots pass through C; and when the elements A and B are horizontal, as shown in Fig. 1, said axes are vertical and aligned.

The only movement performable by a semicylinder, with respect to the elements A, B bear- Fig. 9 is a horizontal section of said modiiica-l Cil ing the same, therefore, is the rotational movement around `the pivot. Each semicylinder is xed to the respective element not only by the pivot but-also by top guides shown diagrammatically at I9, 20. Upon such rotation the outer surfaces. of the vertical walls and of the ceiling of L1 and` L2 slide on ribs I5 ofthe vertical walls and ceiling of the elements A and B, while the iioors I6 remain in the seats Il formed in the iioors of saidelements, The two semicylinders L1 and L2 are connected to each other and maintained in the respective position as appears in Figs. 2 and 6 by means of a connecting rod 6 with spherical pivots 'I and 8. said connecting rod being located approximately in the plane containing C, parallel to the track plane.

The symmetry plane NN (Figs. 2 and 5) of the combination of L1 and L2, owing to a link system 9, 9', 9" (Figs. 2, 5, 7 and 9) jointedly connected to the two elements A and B, constantly coincides approximately with the bisecting plane of the angle formed by the longitudinal center lines of the elements A and B. The link system t, il',

9" moves approximately in the same plane parallel to the track plane wherein the connecting rod 6 lies; the pivot I0 in the plane NN is xed to either of the semicylinders whilst the pivots II and I2 (which are spherical) are Xed on A and B respectively.

As the two semicylinders do not fit to each other to provide continuity. as maybe seen in Figs. 1 and 2,there are provided to complete the continuity of the carriage with the articulation:

(a) on the floor I6, two sectors I3 (Figs. 2, 6 and 7) fixed by hinges I4 to one of the semicylinders and slidably supported by the other semicylinder (in Fig. 2 one sector I3 only is represented) (b)on the vertical walls and ceiling an eXtensible connection I8.

Consequently, the articulation provides rotational movements about C of the element A relatively to the element B also in the vertical plane perpendicular to the track. This independency of movement requires a special construction of the truck swing bolster 2 I. Since this single bolster cannot simultaneously follow the movements both of A and B, according to the present invention the swing bolster of the truck having the articulation is provided with four bogie shoes (Fig. 3) two of them P1 and P4 are rigidly connected to the bolster and face the corresponding sliding shoes 23, 24 of the element A (or element B)v whereas the other `two P2 and P3 are spring tion of the cylinder L (composed of .two` semi-U Slight play may be left between cylinders) is determined by the adjacent ele-y ments A and B by means of a barlink system. It would be constructionally 'simpler' tohave -the position of L determined by the underlying truck, by rigidly connecting the truck and cylinder for movement about C in the horizontal planez- -I`t can be easily understood, however, whyv the link- If the cylinder and .the underlying truck were rigidly connected for rodrive is preferable.

tation about C nfa vertical plane, whenthe traveling carriage passes from-a straight Vpath to a curve, or vice versa, the rotations of the element A relatively vto L and of L relatively to B would take place in a succession of stages, since,

if A precedes B in the travelingdirection, when the forward truck enters the curve, the rotation AL begins and it ceases when the truck in turn enters the curve; from this momentvv begins the rotation L-B which in turn comes to an end when the rear truck also enters the'curvez- If, however L is obliged to maintain its plane of symmetry NN constantly 'in the bisecting plane of the angle formed by the two longitudinal center lines of A and B, therotations A-L and L-B begin' simultaneously when the forward truck enters the curve, or issues therefrom, and cease simultaneously when the rear truck also enters the curve, or issues therefrom.

The rotations A-L and L-B take place, there# fore, in periods of time twice as long and' it can be readily understood that the'maximum values of the angular speed and acceleration are reduced to one half, and, most important, the movements begin and end without sudden changes of acceleration, whichdoes not happen when L is rigidly connected with the. truck for rotation in a horizontal plane around C.

In order to oblige L to keep in theV bisecting plane of the angle formed by the longitudinal system S, S', 9 has been employed; it is obvious however, that any other of the known systems for obliging an element to maintain a center line coincident with a line bisecting a variable angle could be used. Instead of connectingLrto L2 by means of a connecting rod, L1 and L2 may be simultaneously and independently driven by two equal link systems 9, 9', 9".

In Fig. 1 the two pivots 4 and 5 are represented with their axes in vertical alignment with C, (one pivot superposed over the other. Obviously, they f might be replaced by circular guides lying in a same plane parallel to the track.

According to the embodiment represented in Figs. l and 2 and just described, the cylinder L is divided into two parts L1 and L2. The articulation can be constructed, however, without such division, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, in which casev L is pivotally supported by one of the two elements, for instance A. In such case:

(l) The part B1, as it must constantly move with L, must be pivoted on the same pivots of L on A, which does not prevent it frombeing rigidlyy connected to B2 for movement in a horizontal plane;

(2) The sectors I4 and the extensible connection between L1 and L2 areV eliminated and an extensible connection I8 is provided between B1 and B2;

(3) As the whole iloor of B is connected to the.V part B2 (Fig. 9) in the changes of grade, raised rails, uneven loads and the like, a slight step will be created between the iloor of L and the floor of B.

What I claim is:

l. An articulation device for connecting adjacentvehicle elements, comprising in combination a transverse frame member, a spherical joint system between said frame member and vehicle elements, said system including a joint member connected to each vehicle element, an openended cylindrical structure disposed between the ends of the vehicle elements and adapted to preserve passageway continuity betweenthesame in their movements of articulation, a pivotal connection in a vertical axis :between said cylindrical structure and said vehicle elements, the axis-of which connection is aligned with 'the center of the spherical joint, a jointed link system connecting the vehicle elements withk capacity for articulation movements in ahorizontal plane, means for guiding articulatory movements Aof the cylindrical structure and vehicle elements in a vertical plane the cylindrical structure being formed in two halves capable of relative articulation in a vertical plane about said spherical joint, said halves being each pivoted to the re- "spective adjacent vehicle element and connected to each other by a horizontal link with universal i,

joints substantially in a horizontal plane passing through the spherical joint, and an extensible lmember being disposed between said halves for preserving continuity of the side and top portions of the halvesin their` articulatory mov'ements.

2. An articulation device for connecting the adjacent ends of adjacent vehicle elements .com- 'prising a supporting frame member, a spherical joint system interconnecting the framemember and vehicle elements, a cylindrical structurepositioned between and extending into the adjacent ends of the vehicle elements, and provided "with diametrical passageway openings to afford planes of the end surfaces of Al and B, the link communication between the adjacent connected Vehicle elements, said cylindrical Vstructure being formed in two halves, one half being pivotally mounted in the end of one vehicle element and "the other half being pivotally mounted in the end of the adjacent vehicle element, a link universally connected to the halves at one sideof their pivotal axes at the lower portions thereof to limit relative horizontal pivotingmovement,

'"`and extensible surfacing material extending between the two halves to preserve side and top surface continuity between thevhalves upon relative movement in a verticaly plane due to relative movement of the vehicle elements in a vertical "plane about the joint system.

faces cooperating with the spherical joint forming surfaces of the frame member and the first recited arm to form a spherical joint interconnecting the vehicle elements and frame, a semi-cylindrical vestibule forming member pivotally mounted in the end of each vehicle element for pivotal movement relative to the vehicle element about a vertical axis passing through the center of said spherical joint, said semi-cylindrical members having passageway openings in the sides thereof to afford communication with the vehicle elements, and extensible surfacing material joining adjacent semi-cylindrical members to provide surface continuity between the same while permitting said semi-cylindrical members to move relatively to each other in a vertical plane about the spherical joint.

4. An articulation device for connecting the adjacent ends of adjacent vehicle elements comprising a supporting frame member, a spherical joint forming surface on said frame member, an arm extending from the end of one vehicle element and having a spherical joint forming surface provided thereon, an arm extending from the end of the adjacent vehicle element, and having a portion extending between and having surfaces cooperating with the spherical joint forming surfaces of the frame member and first recited arm to form a spherical joint interconnecting the vehicle elements and frame, a semicylindrical vestibule forming member pivotally mounted in the end of each vehicle element for pivotal movement relative to the vehicle element about a vertical axis passing through the center of said spherical joint, said semi-cylindrical members having passageway openings in the sides thereof to afford communication with the vehicle elements, extensible surfacing material joining adjacent semi-cylindrical members to provide surface continuity between the same while permitting said semi-cylindrical members to move relatively to each other in a vertical plane about the spherical joint, and means universally connecting adjacent semi-cylindrical members at their lower portions at one side thereof to limit relative horizontal movement between connected semi-cylindrica1 members.

MARIO URBINATI. 

